Dec 22, 2012

Lemon Cake, Idiot-proofed

by
Kathy Shea Mormino

I make this recipe every Christmas, but since I only make it annually, I always forget that I screw it up every single year. And this
year was no exception. It’s a Barefoot Contessa recipe and I find that Ina Garten over-complicates most things, so I have modified the recipe slightly and re-written it to be idiot-proof for my own benefit. Advisory: Even if you don't have blood sugar issues, you're going to want to have insulin on-hand just to read this recipe for lemon cake!

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated
sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until
light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and the lemon zest
(be sure zest gets evenly distributed)

Sift together the flour,
baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

Add the flour and buttermilk
mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.

Divide the batter evenly
between the pans (I use an ice cream scoop to portion evenly). Smooth
the tops and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Syrup Directions

While cakes are baking, combine
1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice and vanilla bean in a small saucepan and cook
over low heat until the sugar dissolves.

When the cakes have cooled
for 10 minutes, poke holes in them with a skewer. *Remove from the pans and set
them to a rack set over a sheet pan (I don’t remove cakes from the mini loaf
pans if I’m gifting them). Slowly spoon the syrup on top of cakes, aiming for
as little waste as possible.

Allow the cakes to cool
completely. .

Glaze Directions

Combine the confectioners'
sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth.
Pour over the tops of the cakes. These lemon cakes freeze beautifully. (guilty pleasure: eating a hunk of cake FROZEN. Mmmmm!)

** The lemon rinds can be turned into an organic, Lemoncello Cleanervery simply with only a 2 liter bottle and 1 cup of brown sugar!

So I'm not the only one who thinks she over-complicates some of her recipes! :-) This looks delicious, and I'm a big fan of lemon. I'm going to try using a Bundt pan. Thanks for the recipe - and your own personal tweaks.

That looks so delicious! I will have to make that sometime just not anytime soon. I have made way too many holiday goodies for the rest of this year. :) I think my kids think that is all I am suppose to make.

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This sounds and looks like a super moist and delicious cake! This is a recipe we should all pin on our fridge!Thank you for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza - Hope to see you there again this week with more deliciousness :)

Just in from atop a ladder hanging lights, trying to dry some wet chickens and playing a game of slime ball with my three dogs and brrrrr its cold and sloppy wet out. I can't begin to express how good this looks. Whoops did I just drool….yikes gotta take it easy on us with these yummy treat photos lol.

Thanks again for this - making it now, can't wait for the delicious aroma from the oven! Hope you and yours have a blessed Christmas and so happy everything worked out for you legally. In the end I am glad justice prevailed!

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